Fishing at Wampum Lake, Inyo County, California

• Overview

  Wampum Lake stands in Inyo County, California. This is pine and birch ground. About 4 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Our Inyo County list holds plenty of bigger water. Supplies mean a trip to West Bishop, 21 miles off. Beyond it, Dixon Lane-Meadow Creek at 24 miles and Bishop at 24 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Wampum Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Survey and observation records for Inyo County include california golden trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and owens sucker. The county list is broader than any single water. On Wampum Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 19°F in January up to 50°F in August. Hard water is a season in its own right here. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough mid June. Averages place the thaw at mid June and the freeze at mid November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Wampum Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Tubbe Paa Lake sits 0.4 miles off and takes the overflow. Rules at Wampum Lake are worth checking on the day.